Seven elite-level and four junior American women took to the start line at the UCI Road World Championships road races in Wollongong, Australia last weekend, competing for rainbow bands while racing in the stars and stripes.
Veronica Ewers finished 13 seconds back from winner Annemiek van Vleuten for a 23rd place result in the elite field. In the junior race, Samantha Scott came in 26th place, 2:46 back from winner Zoe Bäckstedt.
Photographer Casey B. Gibson was on the ground in Australia documenting the American squads as they took on the world’s best riders.
Also read: UCI Road World Championships: Veronica Ewers ‘wanted more’ from Team USA debut
The US women’s riders at the team introductions;
Heidi Franz, Kristen Faulkner, Emma Langley, Veronica Ewers, Lauren Stephens, Leah Thomas, and Skylar Schneider.
After team introductions, all bikes get a transponder attached under the seat.
The top US finisher on the day, Veronica Ewers, climbs next to the eventual race winner Annemiek van Vleuten.
Top US finisher for the junior women was Samantha Scott, who shows her exhaustion at the finish.
USA Cycling’s CEO Brendan Quirk and Chief of Sport Performance Jim Miller chat with riders before the start.
Junior Katherine Sarkisov climbs Ramah Avenue with the encouragement of fans from Chicago.
A UCI official checks Katherine Sarkisov’s bike with a tablet, looking for mechanical doping.
Leah Thomas in the mix on the third time up the Ramah Avenue climb.
Soigneur LInda Owens-Eisenhut reassures Katherine Sarkisov after her disappointing finish.
Wildly enthusiastic fans from Chicago and Sydney cheer on the US riders.
Mike Sayers was behind the wheel for Team USA, with Tejay Van Garderen in the DS role next to him.
Riders from the EF Education Tibco team have a short reunion before the start of the women’s race. Olivia Baril of Canada with USA’s Lauren Stephens, Veronica Ewers and Emma Langley.
Some young Aussie fans dressed up to cheer on the riders.
Team director Michael Sayers consults with a Shimano rep about the equipment riders would need in the neutral support cars.
USA’s Samantha Scott fights her way up the 14% grade of Ramah Ave in the junior women’s race.
Fans along Ramah Avenue showed they were serious cycling fans with markers from the iconic climbs in the Tour.
Leah Thomas, fresh off her fifth place finish in the time trial, was the leader of the road squad.
USA Cycling’s Chief of Sport Performance Jim Miller at the start of the junior women’s race.
After a 48 hour trip to Australia via Singapore and even Tokyo, Lauren Stephens finally arrived, more than a little jet lagged.